Today Is...Good King Wenceslaus Murdered

The Good King Wenceslaus sung about in that Christmas Carol was a real person but he wasn't a King but a Duke in the Czech Republic and the Feast of Stephen, when the snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even, was the day he was horrifically stabbed and dismembered which may be worth considering while you're recovering from your turkey and pudding stupor, the jolly sights and sounds of the holidays don't seem quite so jolly while your gizzards are being forcibly dragged from your body.
He was the son of Vratislaus I, Duke of Bohemia and enjoyed the easy life during the early 10th century, until his father was killed in battle and in 10th Century Europe, all things considered, being killed in a battle was a pretty good outcome.
His grandmother, a Christian, became regent but she was killed by her pagan mother who used her own veil because she was bringing her son up as a Christian, so his mum took the role of regent for herself and decided that she could get used to this whole ruling thing so set about ridding Bohemia of the Christian fad that was sweeping Europe but that backfired and she was forced into exile and Wenceslaus took control of the government.
His younger brother, Boleslav the Cruel, was always a mummy's boy so while he was bringing beggars out in the snow gathering firewood into his warm castle for a cup of hot turnip juice, his brother was plotting to kill him, and you didn't want to spend time with your family at Christmas!
The plan was to invite Wenceslaus to a meal to celebrate the feast of Saints Cosmas and Damian and to unify his family but the thought that he might not be handing out plates of Christmas cheer did cross his mind but Wenceslaus accepted the invitation believing that his own brother wouldn't really do that to him.
Wow, did he misjudge that because when he turned up at the gates, the brother and his goons all took it in turns to stab him to death and to make sure, ran him through with a lance and dismembered him.
Bring a gentler, kinder sould, Wenceslaus considered himself head and shoulders above his brother and he literally was, his head ended up on top of the gatehouse and his body in the moat but with hindsight, with a name like Boleslav the Cruel and the whole previous killing family members thing, he should have seen one that coming i guess.